Card-index



S. ANTHONY.

CARD INDEX. APPLICATION HLEDJMR. 19. I919.

Patented May 18; 1920.

Iflnfor Stanley Anthony MSWM J .2. 29 15 s.

, 5 attached to each carrier,

o to each can.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEFioE.

STANLEY ANTHONY, or sosroN, msssscnossrrs.

' osnnmnnx.

resonate.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 192624.

Application filed March 19, 1919. Serial-No. 288,577.

,0 This invention relates to card indexes of that type which comprises aframe, a. plurality of holders or card carriers removably sustainedthereby, and cards removably carried by the holders or carriers.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide an improvedholder or carrier for cards on which two or more cards may be supportedand which is so constructed that either one of the cairds can be removedfrom or replaced on thecarrier without disturbing the other card. Oneadvantage of this improvement is that it enables twice as many cards tobe used in one frame than would be possible if only one card could beand hen'ee it pro rides means whereby the capacity f an ordinary cardindex of this bled by using two cards for eac. carrier instead of one.Another advantage which results from this construction is that it proinesfor readily expanding the card indent as necessity requires. if, forinstance, the card index as originally put in use had one card on eachcarrier, each card relating to a 5 diiterent name or subject, andthrough ex-.

pension of business it was found that one card s relative to oneparticular subject, then another card could be readily attached to thecarrier containing the filled card so that the surplus data or materialcan be placed on said second card. Thus the use of an additional cardfor any one name or subject does not int'olre the use of an additienaler. the: object of my invention is to provide on improved card index ofthe type in which two cards are or, may be suspended from i the-samecard carrierconstrueted that each of the cards has at its lower acereceive the name or subject to he data on the ctrd a per tains, and wh hspaceis isible at all times. This constrl on inches ant names or typemay be douinsufiicient to contain all the data and which is solst1ng'to-diffcr-" Another object of my invention is to provide animproved carrier or holder for cards which is made from a strip of sheetmetal and which is constructed so that it can be readily removed fromthe frame.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally card indexes,all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated inthe drawings some selected embodimnts thereof which will now bedescribed, after which the novel features will be pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, view of a portion in% my invention; 4

ig. 2 'isan enlarged section through one side of the frame or holder;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view with a part broken out of one of myimproved holders or carriers;

Fig. 4 is a View of the two cards which are placed on any carrier withthe central F igure 1 is a perspective of a card index embody-- portionof the cards broken out and'with one i hinge portion shown unfolded andin the form of'a tab;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4; Fig. dis a fragmentaryperspective view showing a different embodiment of the invention; 7

' Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig.

2 showing the modified'form of the invention. i

1 indicates the frame of the card index and 2 indicates the cards. Thesecards are secured to flexible holders or carriers 3 which are l'emovablyretained in the frame 1, said frame having the usual lips or flanges 4at its ed es beneath which the ends of the flexible holders or" carriersare received, all "its usual in card indexes of this type.

The "various holders are arranged one above the other, so that the cardswhich are supported thereon will have an overlappin relation with thelower edge of each'card visible below the lower alcove it.

My improved holder or carrier 3 is made from a strip of sheet length,and it avea metal of the requisite is constructed with ends whicherosion from back to front the frame 1 are so constructed that the space6 between the lips and the body of the frame is somewhat greaterthan thethickness of v greater. than the thickness of the strip. The lips 4 ofedge of the card next the strip from which the holder 3 is made, and inorder to prevent any holder from slipping down behind the next adjacentholder l propose to make the ends of the holder of increased thickness.This can be done in various ways. One way is to bend the ends of thestrip back on the body thereof as shown at Hg. 3 thereby providing endsof double-thiclniess. Another way is that shown in Fig. 6' wherein theends of the body are bent laterally as shown at 12, these laterally bentportions being of a length to extend across the space (S. In both formsof the invention the increased transverse dimension at the ends of theholders prevents them from l econiingivedged behind each other andserves to retain them "in their proper relative positions.

Each holder or carrier has pintles struck up therefrom on which thecards are hung. I propose to make each carrier with two pairs ofpintles, the pintles of one pair being indicated at 'F, and those of theother pair at 8. With this construction two cards :an be hung from eachcarrier, one card be,

other on the other pair of p ntles.

Each card-2 has two hinge'portions 10 adapted to receive a pair ofpintles and each card is placed on the pintles by slipping one hingeoyor one of the pintl es and bending the card centrally sufficiently topermit the" other hinge to he slipped over the other pintle when thecard is straightened. Any

card can be removed by simply rever ing these operations.

Some cards will have the hinge portions 10 spaced so as to detachablyengage the pair of pintles 7, while other cards will have their hingeportions situated so as to de- .tachably' engage the pintles 8. Twocards can thus be supported from each carrier 3 and because each card issustained on its own pair of pintles, either card can be removed withoutdisturbing the other card.

While the hinge portions 10 of each card may be made in various ways, Iwill preferably make each hinge portion from an in .tegral portion ofthe card. This can conveniently be done by forming; each card in thefirst instance with two tabs 11 and then folding the tabs over to formthe hinge portions, the ends of the tabs being secured to the body ofthe card by means of a suitable adhesive or some other fastening device.

The holders or carriers 3 are flexible or resilient so that by bendingthem away from the frame at their central portion the ends can bewithdrawn from the lips 4. Inorder to facilitate the removal of anycarrier, I propose to make it so that some portion thereof intermediateof its ends is spaced or separated from the body of the frame so that aperson can readily gralsp such pormg sustained on one pair of pintlesand the insane tion to bend the carrier centrally a sufficient amount topermit the ends to be withdrawn from the lips l. This spacing orseparating of some portion of the carrier from the frame may be providedfor in various ways. One convenient construction is that herein shownwherein the central portion 9 of each carrier is offset or bentoutwardly to occupy a position in front of the plane of the rest of thecarrier. placed in the frame it will rest against the back thereof, butthe portion 10 will be separated from the back. Since the carriers areflexible, the operation of removing any carrier involves pressing'baclrwardly the centra portion of the carriers above and below the onedesired to be removed so that a person can grasp the portion 9 of saidlatter carrier between his thumb and finger thereby to draw the carrieroutwardly.

My improvements involve the use of two cards on each carrier and isparticularly applicable to card index systems that require frequentreadjustment because of ad ditional data which it is desired. to placeon the cards and especially where such ex pansion may involve the use ofmore than one card for any p'arti ular name or subject matter. Undersuch circumstances the cards which are used} in the first instance'inthe system may be those which will be sustained on the pintles 7 of theholders and as the card relating to any one subject or name becomes fulland another card is requirei'l for additional data," a second cardadapted to be secured to pintles 8 may be applied to second card may, ifdesired, be of the same length. as the first card or may be longer orshorter so that its lower edge will not come into alinement, with thatof the first card. I r

My invention is also applicable to card index systems Where one cardonly is sufficient to receive the data for any name or subject, for byproperly making the card, it is possible to support two csrds on onecarrier and yet have the data or name bearing space at the lower edge ofeach card visible. in Fig. 1 l have illustrated two cards suspended fromthe top carrier. One ofthe cards has at its lower edge at one end aspace 32 to receive the name onsubject to which the data on the cardappertains, and the other card has at its lower edge on the oppositeside a similar space 33. The iirstniamed card is cut away at its loweredge opposite the portion 33, as shown at 34:, and the second card iscut away at its lower edge, as shown as 35 op posite the space 32. Withthis arrangement the two spaces 32, 33 for the two cards are inalinelnent, but they are both visible and hence these two cards can beused for (lifi'eriiti l l. O

ent subject matter, with this arrangement of cards it is possible tohang two cards on all the carriers if desired, thus' doubling thecapacity of the card index and et,.,have the name or data-bearing spaceof all the cards visible.

In using card indexes of this type it frequently happens that anentry ismade in ink either by hand or on the type-writer which it is desired toerase. Wherethe cards are made of ordinary paper the erasure of an inkentry is often difiicult and rather than erase such' an entry the clerkfrequently makes out an entirely new card. In order to avoid thisnecessity, I propose to make my index cards with a washablesurface sothat if it is desired to erase any ink entry, the surface of the cardcan be cleaned by simply washing it with a damp sponge or cloth. Thiswashable surface might be attained in various ways. One would be to makethe card from'celluloid material which is constructed to take ink. Anopaque celluloid or celluloid composition will, of course,

- be preferable to a transparent material.

\Vhile I have herein illustrated some selected embodiments of theinvention,'I wish to state that the invention is not confined to theconstruction shown as the latter may be varied in various ways wihoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a card index, the combination with a frame, of a plurality of cardholders removably' sustained thereby, one above the other, each holderhaving two pairs of cardsupporting pintles and a card pivotally hung oneach pair of pintles.

2. In a card index, the combination wit a frame, of aplurality of cardholders remevably sustained therein, one above the other, each holderhaving two pairs of cardsupporting pintles and a .card pivotally hung oneach pair of pintles, each card being capable of removal from itspintles Without removing the other card.

, 3;; In an index, the combination with a amine, of a plurality of cardholders removably sustained thereby, each holder having provision toengage detachably two cards either of which can be remove a frame havinga back and retaining lips at its edges, of a plurality of resilient'card carriers extending across the frame and havin their ends retainedbeneath saidlips, eac carrier being made of a strip of sheet metal whichhas some portion thereof intermediate of its ends offset forwardly fromthe plane thereof to provide'means by which the car-j rier can bereadily grasped to remove it from the frame.

6. A holder or carrier for cards of a card index s stem, said holderbein made of a strip 0 metal and provided wlth' means to supportdetachably a card, the central portion of said holder being offset tothe front of the plane of the body thereof.

7 In a oard index, the combination with from the holder withoutdisturbing the other card.

a frame,'of a plurality of holders removably sustained thereby, oneabove the other, a plurality of cards suspended from each holder, eachcard having at its lower end a titleor name-bearing portion, saidna'mebearing portions of all the cards on each holder being situated inalinement and all of said visible.

In testimony whereof, I hare signed my name to this specification.

portions of all the, cards being sTANLEYnNTHoNY.

